Posted
by
CmdrTaco
on Monday December 17, 2007 @10:19AM
from the tis-the-season-to-blah-blah-blah dept.

MrCopilot pointed out that every year there are a slew of gadgets geeks desire for Christmas, and approximately 7 million web pages dedicated to compiling lists of them.
So why shouldn't we join in the fun. Here are stories from
Dallas News,
CBS News,
Seattle Times,
E Media Wire,
Detroit News and
MSNBC. So lets take a crack at your own list. There's still another day or two where things could conceivably be shipped on time for the holidays. I highly recommend Rock Band, although my aching hands might disagree.

It depends on how fancy you want to get. Run on over to the fencing department at Home Depot and you can get a 4 inch diameter/8 foot long pole for about $10. That's what I've got sitting outside my office door (so much for my hopes of wining the office holiday decorating contest). Of course, given its relatively low strength/weight ratio, this is sort of like getting an artificial Xmas tree. And unfortunately, no one sells aluminum fencing post materials as far as I can tell.

I read over a few of the lists... they seem more like lists for tech enthusiasts rather than actual.. geeks per se. Where the hell is Hubo? No segways? Motor scooters? Play pen balls? [xkcd.com]
Although personally, I'm aiming for ice skates this winter.

A paperback book with 1MB hardly fits in a pocket and is maybe 6h of reading for an average reader. A 1GB SD card is easily months of reading, pluggable into a device that is the size of the 1MB book - and thanks to the e-paper, the batteries won't die on you while you read and the readablity will be just like with a paper book.

Imagine you want to read the whole Pratchett's Discworld series on your daily way to work, 1h each direction, on a train daily. You either go to a bookstore and (with lots of luck if it's all in stock) buy some 10 pounds of paper, then remember to take one part for your travel, or two if you're about to finish the 'current' one. You pay a small fortune.

Or you rent them at a library. Good luck getting them all, good luck getting them in parts and none of the parts missing, you're bound by return schedules and you need to go to said library.

Or you visit piratebay and download the whole series in ebook format, then read it on your pocket reader. Cost: zero. You have them all, no management. You read on your own schedule. They fit on one tiny card. And so on... And if you feel like the author deserves the money, you buy the DRM'd versions from Amazon and promptly delete them, or just buy the paper version and put them on a shelf in your house, never opening them.

As for using the e-readers, they work if you're on the go a lot, and don't have room for a library. However, I'm sticking with dead trees for a few reasons...

If I'm not sure which book I feel like reading, I can scan entire bookshelves in a glance. No time needed for indexing, just a quick look is necessary. If I want to lend/give someone a good book, I don't have to buy 'em a reader. No batteries needed. There's also very little chance that my books will scramble due to file corruption....

If you read the rest of the comment, he then buys the same from an eBook merchant and discards the DRM files. That may be legally dubious, but I have a hard time finding an ethical fault in it except possibly for the loss of interest on those monies between the free download and payment. From a publisher perspective, not only did they get his money, but he also took up resources of someone providing it for free.It does get a little more complicated in that there is some time spent in laying out an ebook, ev

> Or you visit piratebay and download the whole series in ebook format, then read it on your pocket reader. Cost: zero.

Well, first and foremost: the pocket reader has a non-zero cost. And I don't know about Discworld, but most books are not free (as in beer) to download legally, which makes the "Cost: zero" argument just as valid for dead tree books which you also can obtain illegally for "Cost: zero".

The best argument against books from dead trees is that they're, well, dead trees. But they look good in

The e-book thing is an idea that simply refuses to die. Every couple of years, we get more hype about it, but it's never really gotten that far. My personal take on it is that it's a solution looking for a problem. An e-book reader is not really any more convenient to carry around than a paperback book, and is less durable. The only real advantage is the ability to carry around your entire library with you, but so far that hasn't been enough to overcome the disadvantages inherent in reading for extended periods of time from a small electronic device.

I could see wanting to carry around my entire CD collection, so things like iPod make sense. In 1 hour you could listen to about 15 songs, so if you want a mix from everything you own, instead of just 1 CD, it makes sense to carry your whole collection on you. However, with books I feel it's quite a bit different. You are going to read 4 minutes from 15 different books in a 1 hour trip. Even if you are going on vacation for a couple weeks, you probably wouldn't go through that many different books that

Did you go to college? Heaving around all those textbooks SUCKED, especially when I had to walk to campus! This is the one great usage I can see for e-books, or at least PDF releases of texts, but I doubt the printing industry is going to give up on leeching off of college kids.

It seems as expensive as Sony's reader.Until it is capable of reading PDF files in a decent way (the test being able to read an issue of SDTimes or a full-page newspaper without conversion), it is less than perfect.

the perfect one would have auto-searching and indexing and full support for PDFs, Office and OpenOffice files and would behave both as a printer (close to zero config) and as USB disk drive.

When that comes, I will be happy. Until then... Just a maybe. It's a cool gadget, but no revolution. Not ju

Oh man, when I was studying engineering in the '70s, my dad gave me a circular slide rule. It was way easier to fit in your pocket than a traditional slip stick, though you did lose some accuracy on the inner bands. My friends all thought it was cool.

Of course, in second year, I got a TI SR-52, which they thought was even cooler because it could do polar-rectangular conversions in my choice of degrees or radians. Everyone wanted me in their study group.

It's should be right up there in whatever pantheon includes the Joy Buzzer, the Dribble Glass, and the Whoopee Cushion. As Mad Magazine once said: "Fool your friends! Be popular!"

(And just imagine the big laffs you could have bringing one of these to an airport and surreptitiously slipping it into your pal's carry-on luggage... that should get either your pal or you onto the No-Fly list quicker than you can say "Jack Gilmore!")

Can't believe they're actually selling those. Back in high school electronics that was a favorite project. Build a 'tormentor' as small as possible with as low a voltage as possible and set it on your foes. Set the time with the capacitor!

Good question: I tried to ask "What were the best books, movies, games, and media released in 2007?" The question might yield somewhat meaningful results, and I'd been thinking about the issue after seeing the NYTimes' best books [wordpress.com].

Instead, the submission was rejected in favor of one discussing consumer electronic junk.

The 58 Song Set List you get to play after you have enough stars from the other venues is brutal. "Timmy - Lord of the underworld" and "I get by" are just brutal on hard. Took my friends and I a dozen tries before we were finally able to get through them. Great game but that set list is not for the faint of heart.

Compared to guitar hero, the set list is a cakewalk. The only song that is difficult is Green Grass and High Tides on Expert - by the time you get to the endless HO's/PO's, your arm/wrist feels like it's jello.

GH3 "easier"? Not sure about that. It's certainly more forgiving on the timing of hitting the notes, but Rock Band actually has you hit notes that "feel" like you're playing the song.. whereas GH3 throws as much shit in there as possible to make things as difficult as they can be. GH3 hard = GH2 expert. Rock Band hard = GH2 Medium. Regardless of what's more difficult, I agree that Rock Band is definitely the better game, and a lot more fun to play as well.

If I want an e-book reader that does just that - displays the text - without web browser, wireless purchases, touchscreen, accelerometers, WiFi, EVDO, DRM, DMCA, PATRIOT, WMD and all this crap that does little to user experience and lots to the price. Not every country considers 2 salaries worth of money a good price for a device to just read books.

Well...this solution is only inexpensive if you already own it - a phone with a high resolution screen.I have read literally dozens of eBooks on my two Treos (formerly a 650 and now a 700p). The palm OS versions of the Treo have 320x320 screens, which makes the text crisp and clear. The responsive color screen is bright with adjustable backlighting...and the SD card slot allows you to store hundreds of books easily. Whether I am at home in bed with the wife or in the bunkroom at the fire station, the fol

GP doesn't really this is what she's looking for. At the current prices, the N800 is a steal. Yes, you can read books on it, and it has a semi-decent interface wired to a 800x480 4.1 inch screen (so the resolution means things look a lot better than on similar pocketable devices). Yes, it does have internet browser and wifi, and runs VoIP, will do video chats of questionable quality, and show movies, remote administer your PC and whatnot. But most of the platform is build on F/OSS, and it's a portable gadge

If you are a gamer and own any handheld systems, you've got two perfect gifts if you're any kind of gamer: look into Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles for PSP, or Contra 4 for DS. They're both infinitely more awesome than Rock Band, in my opinion.

The DS games you mentioned and Rock Band have nothing in common. How can you say that either game is "more awesome" than the other? You're comparing apples and oranges. I'm guessing you meant to say you enjoyed those games more than Rock Band?Btw, a coworker threw a little "Rock Band" get-together this weekend, and I have to say that it was the most fun I had playing a video game in a very long time. If you play Rock Band with the right people (the ones who aren't afraid to mangle the vocals of well-k

Anyway, geekish items on my wish list include the retro bluetooth handset from ThinkGeek, a Power Squid, "The Four Pillars of Geometry", and the Gojira 2-DVD set with the original Japan release. And of course the 2008 Despair calendar for my cube.

You just say it. It helps if you actually have that opinion, but it's not really necessary.

You're comparing apples and oranges.

Apples are better than oranges. Oranges are too sugary and the non-juice parts of the orange are more-or-less pointless. Oranges are really a drink, whereas apples are a food. And, as a drink, oranges are too sugary and don't contain adequate caffeine. When apples are made into a drink, they're actually worse than orange juice though.

You also have to buy the good apples. Discount apples have little taste.

If you or your loved ones are running Windows Vista on that shiny new PC, you'll have an easier time of it with an interactive tutorial. The built-in help system in Vista is quite good, but for sheer information, step-by-step instructions and lots of handholding, you might consider Professor Teaches Windows Vista. It will show you how to do basic stuff such as creating short cuts a

Every year, I see these lists and I wonder, do most people really spend that much on a single Christmas gift? I'm sorry, but I'm not buying anyone a $2500 self-tuning electric guitar (CBS list), or a new $2299 Apple iMac (MSNBC list) or even a $400 iPhone this holiday season. I swear these lists must be created by retailers or someone trying to convince you that you have to go all out and spend all your savings every Christmas, just so your friends and family will love you.

At least some of these lists are surprisingly decent - the Dallas and Detroit ones are actually pretty reasonable - accessories for your friends and family that already bought their gadgets. Now those make good gift items.

...or even a $400 iPhone this holiday season. I swear these lists must be created by retailers or someone trying to convince you that you have to go all out and spend all your savings. every Christmas

Assuming the savings is for retirement instead of a short term goal, e.g. the holiday season.....

First, I'm not advocating anyone spend this much on gifts or that they spend all their savings every year end holiday season. Second, you aren't saving enough for whatever you are saving for if you choose, instead of continuing to save, to buy a $400 iPhone that empties your savings. Even if the other two gifts mentioned are added, you still aren't saving enough if all together they empty your savings.

This is what they want to you to believe that it's normal to spend. Like a shampoo commercial where they use a goddamn handful of the stuff - perferable twice a day. Or where day time make-up for women makes them look like whores on halloween. Or... Or... rememeber people they are trying to make you spend more money. Nothing else. Nothing.

I agree with you. Mostly. I can't play a guitar to save my life. I can play the violin, viola, and even a trumpet, but I cannot play a guitar. Not sure why. But the guitar is past me. And this last weekend playing Rock Band has taught me that drums and vocals aren't my strong point either. Think I'll just stick to wailing on a five-colored fret-board and call it a day...

Also, I have a very good friend who is an amazing blues guitarist and I've tried to learn from him, but like Fry from Futurama, I mu

I got my kid an electric guitar AND a trumpet...and he totally kicks butt on Guitar Hero II. I'm getting him Guitar Hero III this year for Christmas. Why not encourage ALL of these endeavors? Life's not limited to choosing between "real instruments" vs. "Guitar Hero".

Guitar Hero has given him an understanding of the structures and tempos of modern rock music that he can apply to his real guitar. I see no harm in that.

Here is a list [associatedcontent.com] of tech gadgetry, I'd like to see under the tree. This year on my list 3 items run on a Linux OS, including the Nokia n810, Asus eePC and the XO Laptop. I fully expect twice as many next year, with the imminent release of Google's Android.
Of course, there is no shortage of Xmas Tech Lists.(Links to Articles)

What do you, the Slashdot Tech Geek, want to open up this Christmas/Kwanzaa/Chanukah/Pagan Winter Solstice Holiday?"

0. Nokia N810
1. Eeeeee pc
2. ?...
9. ?
Thats how they came it mine [associatedcontent.com] too.
I just couldn't number them though, But I'm pretty sure the n810 comes up #0 no matter how many times I wrote it.

Good ideas: plants, books, tools, SYou are killing the trees, you bastard!!

In all seriousness, I think the BEST gift you can give to someone this (and every other) christmass is TIME. Really give them some of your time, talk with them, instead of wasting those 30 minutes looking for some useless gift, invite them a juice/coffee/pint/tequila/ or some food and just talk with them. Go out to do something together (no, cinema does not count, and is overrated;-).

I know it's outre to point out how trite and overdone these gift guides are, so I'll let the folks at Gizmodo [gizmodo.com] take a poke at it for me.

To test how lemming-like guide-makers were in picking all the same stuff, I chose 10 popular tech toys--iPhone, iMac, MacBook, any iPod, TomTom GPS, any game console (Wii, Xbox 360 or PS3), Vizio HDTV, Slingbox, any Blu-ray or HD DVD player, and any Canon PowerShot or Sony Cyber-shot camera--and checked which of the major guides were serving them up. Here's how the mainstream gift lists panned out...

Panasonic FZ8 digital camera: for $220, this thing takes amazingly good pictures: quite sharp 12x zoom (36-432mm equivalent, f/2.8-3.3), very effective optical image stabilization, 7MP (which is about all you need), full manual control, RAW, and lots of features.Or, if someone already has a decent camera:

Raynox DCR-150 4.8-diopter closeup adapter: for $30, and combined with the above camera or many others (anything with a long optical zoom), you can count the hairs on a bee's little toe. I got one of these

Just saw a report on CNBC at 11:15 EST that showed 79% of prospective game system buyers want to buy a Wii, some 16% for Playstation, and a measly 5% for Xbox. And something like 90% of women buyers are interested in the Wii. It is interesting to note that while shopping for the Wii version of Guitar Hero III in Toronto, there are stacks of the Activision version, and the PC version, but no Wii versions to be had, and the clerk at the local Wal-Mart told me that they get cases of the other versions, but only six copies of the Wii system. She doubts they will get any more before Christmas.

This post is to retract previous positive comments I made concerning the Nokia N810, which is on some gift lists these holidays, in the role of a Web browser and eReader. After using one for a few days, I found the Web browsing experience too slow, the resolution high, but the screen too small to read text comfortably at that resolution (zooming in essentially makes your logical viewport tiny so that text is legible, but very little of it is on screen), and had considerable difficulty in finding and install

First point - if you're reading a geek gift list and it suggests a simple GPS unit, then they don't know what they're talking about. Any real geek is on his thrid GPS by now or else doesn't see the point because he never goes outside.

Second point - none of the geek gift guides I've seen are hardcore geek enough. I'd love to hear other similar ideas (because I've got these two already), but...

Item #1: a Symbol CS1504 handheld barcode scanner (around $100). No significant instructions included or software beyond drivers, and it comes in a plain brown box. It's the size of keyfob car remotes and has memory so you scan stuff then hook it up to your computer later and download what it scanned - once you write the software to do that of course. Kept me entertained for months and now I've written Java code to support it and lookup UPS and ISBN codes.

Item #2: The Pickit2 starter kit from Microchip ($50 direct). Nothing says geek more than programming little extremely cheap microprocessors in assembly language to flash LEDs in sequence. This kit gives you everything you need to get you started in doing just that, and is a gateway gift for future geek paraphernalia like breadboards and electronic parts - nobody else will have a clue what all that stuff is, but at least it's all pretty cheap. Throw in a subscription to "Nuts and Volts" magazine and he'll have geek pr0n all year long. If you play your cards right next year you'll have all sorts of blinky geek ornaments to hang on the tree.

Both of these gift ideas have an extremely high geek fun to price ratio. What I'm looking for is other ideas like this.